Location:

Barton Cove Campground & Canoe Rental, 82 French King Highway, Gill, MA 01354

This location is not the public boat ramp. 

Event Description:

Update 7/28 - This event is sold out. We cannot accommodate walk-ins. Please email amajor (at) ctriver (dot) org to be added to a waitlist. Thank you for your interest and support.

Join Northeastern tribal members, the Nolumbeka Project, Connecticut River Conservancy, and Adventure East on Friday, July 31st to celebrate Indigenous communities with a day of community building, paddling, and reimagining kinship with the Quonecktacut (Connecticut) River. 

We will kick the day off with an optional guided geology and history paddle tour around Barton Cove. This will be a two hour paddle around Barton Cove led by Nolumbeka Project's David Brule and Brent Pitcher. After the optional morning paddle, the group will return to a chicken barbecue lunch prepared by Adventure East. After lunch, paddlers (including Jonathan James Perry, Andre Strongbearheart Gaines Jr tribal historic preservation officer from the Nipmuc Nation, and Aquinnah Wampanoag, Pequot, Pennacook, and Nipmuc tribal paddlers) will join Northeastern tribal members who will lead a procession of traditional handcrafted mishoonash (dug-out canoes) across the cove and upriver while sharing stories of the land and water and connect with one another. 

The focus of this paddle is kinship with the river--past, present, and future. We center the mishoonash, moving at a relaxed pace to create space for storytelling, reflection, listening, and connection. We appreciate you joining us with an open, collaborative, and community-oriented mindset. For the experience to be meaningful for all, we ask that participants keep the mishoonash at the center of our attention and paddle together as a group. This is not a long-distance or fitness oriented paddle. Much of our time on the water will be spent in conversation and community. If you are looking for a more vigorous paddling experience, we invite you to arrive early or stay afterward to paddle at your own pace.

These are advanced beginner/intermediate level paddles of about two hours on water for each session, paddling upstream and back. Conditions may include waves from boat wakes, reversing currents due to hydro storage pumping, strong headwinds, and unmarked debris. Prior paddling experience is encouraged. All paddlers are required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD). Bring your own craft or sign up ahead to borrow one from Adventure East (limited quantity; UPDATE: as of 7/28, all rental boats are reserved).

The paddle is the kick-off to the 13th Annual Pocumtuck Homelands Festival: A Celebration of Native American Art, Music, and Cultures which runs August 1-2 at Unity Park in Great Falls (Turners Falls), MA. 

Pre-registration is required for this event. Space is limited. Depending on capacity, walk-ins may not be accommodated. All participants are required to sign waivers if joining a paddle. This event is free for all Native participants.

For non-Native participants, we are using a sliding scale of $25-75 for adults and $5-25 for youth under 18. More information on the sliding scale in the ticketing section. No one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF). Thank you for your intentional support in helping the organizers offset costs.  

Itinerary: 

9:30 AM Arrival and check in

9:45 AM Morning history & geology paddle tours depart

11:45 AM Morning paddle tours return

12:00 PM Lunch: Chicken BBQ by Adventure East

1:00 PM Sharing words of welcome & gratitude

1:30 PM Honoring Kinship: Mishoonash Community Paddle departs

3:30/3:45 PM Mishoonash Community Paddle returns

4:00 PM Closing